Description
Extra Height, Maximum Temperature Control
The Velfont Viscofresh Max Outlast® Pillow is the extra-high version of Velfont’s flagship Viscofresh thermoregulating pillow — taking the same perforated memory foam core and Outlast® thermoregulating cover technology and applying them in a 17cm height specifically designed for those who need more pillow height to maintain correct head and neck alignment. Where the standard Viscofresh suits back sleepers and lighter builds, the Max is built for side sleepers and those with broader shoulders or a larger build who need the extra height to bridge the gap between head and mattress.
Explore our cooling pillow collection → cooling pillows
Outlast® Technology — Originally Developed by NASA
The Viscofresh Max’s most distinctive feature is its outer cover — made from 100% Outlast® cotton, a material that takes thermoregulation beyond what standard cooling fabrics achieve.
Outlast® technology was originally developed for NASA to manage temperature changes in the extreme environment of space. It was later refined for consumer textile applications and is now used in high-performance sportswear and premium bedding. The technology works through phase change materials (PCMs) — microcapsules containing a substance that absorbs heat as it melts and releases heat as it solidifies, creating a thermal buffer at the skin surface.
In practical sleeping terms: as your body temperature rises during sleep, the Outlast® microcapsules in the cover fabric absorb the excess heat — preventing it from building up at the skin-fabric interface. When your body temperature drops, the stored heat is released back — preventing the sudden cold feeling that causes waking. The result is a constantly maintained individual comfort zone — neither too hot nor too cold — throughout the full night.
The outer Outlast® cover is on one side of the pillow; the reverse is 100% plain cotton — allowing the sleeper to choose the thermoregulating side for warmer nights or the plain cotton side for cooler conditions.
Perforated High-Density Memory Foam Core
Inside the covers, the Viscofresh Max uses a perforated high-density viscoelastic foam core — Velfont’s specific-formula memory foam, manufactured using innovative technologies that ensure high resilience, correct progressive adaptation to the head and neck’s profile, and long-term shape retention.
The perforations serve a direct functional purpose: air circulates freely through the foam core throughout the night — preventing heat build-up within the foam itself and enhancing the overall breathability of the pillow. Standard memory foam blocks without perforations tend to trap heat within the foam body even when the cover is breathable. The perforations ensure ventilation at the core level — working in harmony with the Outlast® cover’s surface thermoregulation.
The foam adapts progressively to the curvature of the neck, avoiding pressure points and promoting correct alignment of the cervical spine with the rest of the spine throughout the night. The medium/firm feel provides the structural resistance that prevents the head from sinking too far into the pillow — maintaining correct head and neck position while still adapting to the individual’s unique contour.
Double Cover System
The pillow uses a double cover system — an inner cover of 100% cotton that wraps directly around the foam core, and the removable outer cover of 100% Outlast® cotton. Only the outer cover is washable (at 40°C, no tumble drying). The double system protects the foam core from moisture and extends its useful life.
Try Before You Buy — Sleep Gallery’s Home Pillow Trial
Not sure if the Viscofresh Max is right for you? Sleep Gallery offers a home pillow trial on all pillows. Pay the full deposit, take your chosen pillow home to test for a few nights — in your own bed, in your normal position. If it is not right for you, return it and receive your full deposit back. If you love it, return the test pillow and take home a brand new, unopened one. Speak to our sleep experts at 596 14 99 77 to arrange your trial.
Product Details
- Core: perforated high-density viscoelastic polyurethane foam (memory foam)
- Outer cover: 100% Outlast® thermoregulating cotton (one side)
- Inner cover: 100% cotton
- Firmness: medium/firm
- Height: 17cm (extra high)
- Care: outer cover washable at 40°C — do not tumble dry
- Ideal for: side sleepers, medium-to-large build, those who sleep warm
- Hypoallergenic
- Brand: Velfont
FAQ:
Q: What is Outlast® technology and how is it different from a standard cooling cover?
Outlast® is a phase change material (PCM) technology originally developed for NASA — and it works fundamentally differently from standard cooling fabrics.
Standard cooling covers use one of two approaches: breathable knit fabrics that allow heat to escape passively, or cool-to-the-touch fibres (such as polyethylene) that feel cold on first contact but warm up quickly. Both approaches manage heat passively — they slow heat build-up but cannot actively remove it or return heat when needed.
Outlast® uses microcapsules embedded in the cotton fibre that contain a phase change material — a substance that absorbs heat energy as it melts and releases heat energy as it solidifies. This is not a comfort effect — it is a thermal buffer that actively manages temperature in both directions. When your body temperature rises during sleep, the PCM microcapsules melt and absorb the excess heat. When your body temperature drops — during the normal nocturnal temperature cycles that can cause waking — the solidifying PCM releases the stored heat back.
The result is a fabric that maintains a consistent temperature zone at the skin surface throughout the night — buffering both upward and downward temperature swings rather than simply addressing overheating. This bidirectional regulation is what distinguishes Outlast® from standard cooling fabrics.
Q: Why is the Max version 17cm — when would I need this height compared to the standard Viscofresh?
The 17cm Max height is designed for sleepers who need more pillow height to maintain correct cervical spine alignment — primarily side sleepers and those with a larger or broader build.
The required pillow height for correct cervical alignment depends on the distance between the side of the head and the shoulder — which varies with body size, shoulder width, and sleeping position. A standard pillow at 13cm suits back sleepers (who need less height) and lighter or smaller-framed side sleepers. At 17cm, the Max bridges the wider gap that broader-shouldered or larger-framed side sleepers need.
As a practical guide: if you sleep on your side and regularly wake with neck tension or stiffness, your pillow may be too low — the cervical spine is bending downward toward the shoulder, creating overnight muscular strain. The Max’s 17cm provides the additional height to keep the cervical spine level with the thoracic spine in the lateral position. Our sleep experts are happy to advise at 596 14 99 77.
Compare with the Technogel Deluxe pillow → Technogel Deluxe
Q: Is the perforated memory foam core genuinely cooler than standard memory foam?
Yes — perforations in a memory foam core make a measurable difference to the foam’s thermal performance, and the distinction is worth understanding clearly.
Standard memory foam is a viscoelastic closed-cell structure. While high-quality foam has some open-cell qualities that allow limited air movement, the foam body itself tends to trap heat within its mass — even when the cover is breathable. This is the fundamental reason memory foam is associated with sleeping warm — the heat generated by the body conducts into the foam and accumulates there.
Perforations create direct channels through the foam body — air can circulate through the core rather than being trapped within it. The perforations allow heat that has conducted into the foam to dissipate outward through the ventilation channels rather than accumulating. This core-level breathability works in conjunction with the Outlast® cover’s surface thermoregulation — the cover manages skin-surface temperature, while the perforations manage heat within the foam body itself.
For warm sleepers specifically, the combination of Outlast® cover and perforated core addresses both levels of heat management simultaneously.
Learn more about Velfont → https://velfont.com
Q: The Viscofresh Max costs more than standard memory foam pillows — what justifies the price?
The price reflects two specific material technologies that standard memory foam pillows do not incorporate.
First, Outlast® thermoregulating cotton in the outer cover. The Outlast® PCM microcapsule technology is a licensed premium textile technology — significantly more expensive than standard cotton or synthetic cooling fabrics. The phase change bidirectional regulation it provides cannot be replicated by a standard cool-to-the-touch cover.
Second, Velfont’s proprietary high-density perforated memory foam. The specific formulation — developed for high resilience, correct progressive adaptation, and long-term shape retention — represents a product specification above commodity memory foam. The perforation process adds production complexity and cost. The foam maintains correct adaptation to the head and neck profile over years rather than flattening progressively as lower-density foams do.
Hypoallergenic construction, double cover protection for the foam core, and the specific 17cm height engineering for side sleepers complete the picture of a pillow built to a specific and technically justified specification. Add Sleep Gallery’s home trial that removes all purchase risk — and the Viscofresh Max is a well-justified investment for warm side sleepers who have struggled with standard memory foam pillows.
